Shaker and moisture absorbing materials therefor



May 23, 1939. .1. c. MCCORKHILL SHAKER AND MOISTURE ABSORBING MATERIALS THEREFOR Filed June 24, 1956 FIG. 2

FIG.

FlG.5

FIG. 6

INVENTOR JESSE c. MQCORKHILL ATTORNEY Patented May 23, 1939 PATENT OFFICE snaxaa AND mors'runn ABsonmNG MA- reams macros,

Jesse C. McOorkhill, Jacksonville, Fla.

Application June 24, 1936, Serial No. 87,024

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to the preservation of moisture absorbent foods and/or other moisture absorbing materials.

It is an object of this invention to provide 5 means of preventing moisture from reaching and damaging moisture absorbent'foods, condiments and/or other materials which may deteriorate and/or be damaged by the presence of moisture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for preventing the entry of moisture into moisture absorbent packaged materials such as salt, pepper, sugar, coffee'and the like by controlling the moisture content in the package adjacent the materials.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such means for preventing the entry of moisture into such materials whereby to avoid the necessity of removing the moisture from the materials.

It is a further object of this invention to provide materials for the accomplishment of the above objects.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shaker top container for salt, pepper or other materials, which will prevent the clogging or caking of the contents thereof due to moisture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a shaker or container which may be easily filled and refilled.

It is a further object'of this invention to pro- .vide such a shaker or container which will exclude moisture from the contents thereof by means of a suitably located moisture absorbing element which is removable and replaceable and which is inexpensive and substantially nonfrangible.

It is a further object of this invention to provide in such a container or shaker an element having extremely high moisture absorbing properties which will not be discolored by contact with moisture or other vapors and which will not discolor or otherwise aifect the contents in any way.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and useful composition for use as a drying or moisture absorbing means or for the separation of gases or vapors from the air.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a moisture, gas or vapor absorbent material which is stable, which may be formed into an integral, non-frangible element and which is absorptive of moisture, vapor orgas to an extremely high degree.

These and other advantages will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing.

In the drawing: 7

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a shaker top container suitable for the adaptation of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, in section, of the container of Figure 1, equipped with my invention;

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the moisture absorbing element, according to my invention, as applied to the container of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a different form of shaker;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view, in section, of the shaker shown in Figure 4, equipped ac cording to my invention; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the moisture absorbing element of my invention, as applied to the structure shown in Figure 5.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the shaker top container, shown in Figures 1 and 2, comprises the cylindrical or other suitably shaped body portion I having an internal annular 2, to which is removably attached by means of screw threads or the like the top 3 which is provided with perforations 4. The annular shoulder 2 is spaced from the under-surface of the top 3 to provide a groove adapted to receive the annular flange 6 of the moisture absorbing element 1 which is substantially funnel-shaped and provided with a constructed opening 8 at the lower end thereof. 1

With reference particularly to Figures 4, 5 and 6, the body portion I of the shaker is of glass or other like material provided at its top outer surface with screw threads which cooperate with like intemal threads of the top 3 which is of metal or other suitable material and which is provided with perforations 4. The moisture absorbing element, as shown in Figure 5, is in the form of a fiat disk I0 having a centrally arranged aperture I l therein. It is, of course, to be understood that the shape of the moisture absorbing elements 1 and In in the embodiment shown may be of varied shapes and forms and of widely varying dimensions to suit the particular uses for which intended. For instance, if desired, a plurality of perforations ll may be suitably arranged in the element In and the height and other proportions of the funnelshaped element 1 may be varied, as desired. The purpose of the moisture absorbing elements is to dry or absorb moisture from air having contact with the exposed surfaces of material contained in the shakers. This obviates the hitherto undesirable use of rice or other moisture absorbent materials, which have hitherto been intermingled with the salt, pepper or other materials contained in the shaker top container. In the use of these intermingled absorbent materials, moisture was not excluded from contact with the contained materials but was, to some extent, segregated or attracted to certain areas thereof. I have found that, by preventing access of moistureto the contained material in such a container, the efficiency of theshaker in a moist atmosphere is 'materially increased over that of the above delike surrounding this intermingled material.

coffee. For this and other like purposes, I have found finely ground charcoal an extremely desirable-substance for such use and a preferred formula is:

Per cent Plaster of Parisl 20 'Water 30 Silica 40 Charcoal (fine) 1O In addition to this, the appearance of the contained materials such as salt, pepper or the like is unchanged by my moisture absorbing element which itself is not discolored or otherwise affected bymoisture. Likewise, the moisture absorbing element is stable and does not disintegrate under the action of moisture or other vapors and thus does not affect the material contained in the shaker.

My moisture absorbing elements may be of varying composition, although a most favorable composition for this use comprises the following formula: i

Per cent Plaster of Paris (2CaSO4.HzO) 20 to 30 Silica (SiOz), 300 mesh 30 to 40 Water (H2O) 30 to 50 When it is desired to reduce the weight of the moisture absorbing disk or cone without afl'ecting or impairing moisture absorbing properties thereof, I may add to the above materials from to 20% of diatomite or tripolite. The above proportions are taken by weight. The materials are preferably intimately mixed and moulded into the desired shape. and may be dried under atmospheric conditions. A further desirable composition comprises a paste-like substance made up of dextrin, silica gel and water in desirable proportions which may be pressed together to the desired form and dried. I

It is comprehended within the scope of my invention to provide means for preventing damage to various materials by the absorption of gases and/or vapors produced by the oxidation of various oils and/or oleaginous substances. A particularly desirable application of the principles of my invention is the preservation of packaged the proportions being taken by weight. The

above materials are preferably intimately mixed,

moulded and dried.

While the above compositions are particularly adaptable for use with shaker containers of the type described above, it is to be-understood that they are also susceptible of use in many widely varying relations for the absorption of vapors, impurities, gases or moisture and that they may be formed intowidely varying shapes and. sizes,

instance, in refrigerators'to replace charcoal and other known materials; they are also susceptible of widely varying uses, where it is desired to remove vapor or moisture from the air or other gases.

It is to be understood that the materials may be moulded or otherwise formed into various desired shapes such as balls, bars, bricks, and rings and that the size and shape. thereof will depend entirely upon the proposed use.

It will also be understood that the above described structure and composition of matter is merely illustrative of the manner in which my invention may be carried out and that ,I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as come within the scope of the claims and the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a shaker container having a body and "a perforated cap removably secured thereto; a moisture absorbent element of stable character removably secured between said body and said cap and provided with a constricted opening between said body and said cap.

2. In a shaker container having a body and perforated cap removably secured thereto; a perforated disk of stable vapor absorbent material secured between said body and said cap.

. 3. In a shaker container having a body and a perforated cap'secured thereto, a moisture absorbent element of stable character having a passage providing communication between the in terior of said body and said perforated cap.

4. In a shaker container. having a body and a perforated cap screw-threaded thereon, a moisture absorbent element of stable character clampingly secured between said screw-threadedly attached cap and body, said element having a constrictedv aperture providing communication between the interior of said body and said perforated cap.

5. In a shaker container having a body and a perforated cap removably secured thereto; and a moisture absorbent element of stable character removably secured between said body and said cap and entirely below the upper surface of the cap so as to be invisible to the user, said absorbent element being provided with a constricted opening to allow passage therethrough of the contents of the container.

6. In a shaker container having a body and a perforated cap removably secured thereto; and a moisture absorbent element of stable character removably secured between said body and said cap, said cap and element forming a chamber therebetween and said element being provided with a constricted opening between said body and said cap, whereby the contents of the container can pass through said constricted opening in said absorbent element and into said chamber between said element and said cap and then from said chamber through the perforated cap.

upper'suriace of said cap, and said element being 7 provided with a'constricted opening for the passage of the contents of the container. 

